Google Responds To Claims Where Search Results Can Be Harmful & Dangerous

Apr 11, 2024 - 7:51 am 4 by

Google Degrade Robot

Over the past few weeks, Google's Search Liaison, Danny Sullivan, has been replying to complaints about some examples of search results being not just low-quality but also potentially harmful and dangerous. The sad part to me is that a couple of years ago, this was not the case with the Google search results (for the most part).

When I interviewed Hyung-Jin Kim, the Vice President of Google Search, at SMX a couple of years back, he told a touching story about this topic. He explained that a family member of his was going through a medical issue and that he went to Google Search to find answers. As a VP of Google Search, his goal was to make sure that the Google Search results never led anyone to information that can end up hurting that searcher. That is where EEAT came from, partially, to ensure the search results did no harm and were not dangerous.

Now, we have way too many complaints about the Google search results offering up dangerous and harmful results. Google has responded to some of those saying they are taking in the feedback and will do better in the future. A lot of it stems from Google showing more Reddit results because they say searchers seek it out. But as Steve Jobs use to say, "Some people say, "Give the customers what they want." But that's not my approach. Our job is to figure out what they're going to want before they do."

Danny Sullivan wrote, "Appreciate the feedback. Aware of these concerns. Have passed them on. Have been talking with the team about them."

Here are some examples, some we shared before, of Google responding to some of these examples:

It is actually something we spoke about a bit on our daily recap video (a new series) yesterday.

Maybe Google needs to show this warning more often these days when Reddit shows up as Higman points out:

Google No Matches

While Google continues to say search quality is better and unhelpful content will be reduced by 40% or so, while also promising quality improvements time and time again - most SEOs don't expect much change.

I didn't embed a ton of examples but I do expect Google to work on this issue and for this to be a thing of the past at some point... I hope...

Forum discussion at X.

 

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